Processing of contour peeled fruit halves

ABSTRACT

Pineapples are cored, contour peeled, trimmed and sliced in half. The halves are immediately guided along different paths by guide ribs fitting the core recesses, and are inspected and sliced while being conveyed along their respective paths.

nited States Patent 1151 3,656,529 Vadas 51 Apr. 18, 1972 [54] PROCESSING OF CONTOUR PEELED References Cited FRUIT HALVES UNITED STATES PATENTS [72] lnventor: Leslie Vadas, Los Gatos, Calif. 1,825,629 9/1931 Floyd ..146/40 2,334,416 11/1943 Kok ...146/99X 1 Ass1gnee= FMC Cmpmammsanlmmcahfi 2,614,593 10/1952 Arengo-Jones.... ...146/52X d: S t.5 1969 3,528,470 9/1970 De Back ..146/6X [22] me 2,991,814 7/1961 Popeil ..l46/l69 [21] Appl.No.: 855,520

Primary Examiner-Willie G. AbBl'Cl'OllilbiC 152 U.S. c1 ..146/224,146/6,146/40, and

146/52, 146/241 57 ABSTRACT 51 1111.01. ..A23n 3/12, 826d 3/26 58 Field ofSearch ..146/6,33, 34,35,316, 37, PmeaPPleS are Peeldr shced 146/40 42 52 72 99 198/204 191 half. The halves are immedlately guided along different paths by guide ribs fitting the core recesses, and are inspected and sliced while being conveyed along their respective paths.

25b 3 INSPECTOR E PRIMARY 786. R cbivil voa 66 g CONVEYOR 12 a 28 9O SECONDARY TRIMMER 14 6b 92 CONVEYOR 25 13a 15a 54 5 PEELING I HEAD I0 I |56 166 TRANSFER 6 a o a o '51 64 18 I i CONVEYOR 2 l 148 M t. 1 1 I62 M SLITTERS 20 1 1 160 6' PRIMARY COMVEYOR l7 PATENTEmPmmz 3,656,529

SHEET EM 2 t STRIVPPER PATENTEDAPR 18 I972 SHEET C86? '12 PATENTEDAPR 18 I972 SHEET 070? 1-2 m 503m 3 mo m zoo m ozooww MH m-HII HII PATENTEUAPR 18 I972 3, 6 56 529 am; can; .2

TIMER VALVE l74b 4 '5 PRIMARY FEELING HEAD IO SLITTER 2O CONVEYOR l6 SECONDARY CONVEYOR 24 CONVEYOR 26 PATENTEDAPR 1a 1912 SHEET 10 0F 12 CHUNKER 32 2 MR 0 Y E w C E0 SC TRANSFER {CONVEYOR 26 PROCESSING OF CONTOUR PEELED FRUIT HALVES FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to fruit preparation and more particularly to preparation of peeled pineapples wherein the fruit is slit in half and the individual halves processed for inspection trimming and slicing.

DESCRIPTION OF TI-[E PRIOR ART Kok U.S. Pat. No. 2,334,415 issued Nov. 16, 1943 Peach halves are dumped on a multi-line conveyor belt having projections for receiving pit recesses. The conveyor belt is vibrated to jiggle the fruit until they fall over their respective recess-receiving projections. Popeil U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,814 issued July 11, 1961 Potatoes are sliced with corrugated knives and the corrugated lower faces of the unsliced portions of the potatoes can be guided by a guide bar to register the potatoes with the corrugated knives and to produce julienne or shoestring potatoes. Napier et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,519,158 issued Dec. 16, 1924 Fruit is pushed into rotary slicing knives by pushing fingers on an endless chain operating intermittently. Albertoli US. Pat. No. 2,120,385 issued June 14, 1938 Peach halves are advanced with their cut face down by a conveyor belt through radial quartering knives. Radial knives are also shown in Gardner, U.S. Pat. No. 2,021,300, issued Nov. 19, 1935, and Vanderhoofven, Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 2,518,962, issued Aug. 15, 1950. Floyd U.S. Pat. No. 1,825,629 issued Sept. 29, 1931 Oranges are bisected and cut radially by pushing them vertically through radial slicing knives. l-ljelte et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,203,627 issued June 4, 1940 A fruit core guide is slotted to receive rotating slicer knives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The embodiment of the present invention is particularly applicable to the handling of contour peeled pineapples. When these pineapples must be sliced, supporting them for the slicing operation presents a problem in that the peeled fruit is not stable when lying on its side. Merely guiding the fruit with conventional channels or the like also presents problems in that the fruit sizes vary, thereby complicating the guiding problem.

The inspection of whole peeled pineapple before slicing also presents a problem in that such fruit must be picked up by hand and turned to expose imperfections to the inspector or trimmer, who must remove defects from all sides of the fruit.

In accordance with the present invention, the fruit is controlled and supported throughout the entire preparation process. The supporting surface is independent of fruit size because under the present invention, the peeled pineapples are slit in half and handled on complementary conveyors resting on their slit faces. The fruit is controlled under the present invention by guiding each fruit half by means of a rib which is received by the core recess of the halved fruit. Before slicing, the complementary pineapple halves are presented, while resting on their sliced faces, to inspectors and trimmers, and in a manner which they can be illuminated from below. This enables each inspector to examine the entire surface of the fruit half without requiring that he pick it up and manipulate it.

An important feature of the present invention is the manner whereby complementary fruit halves are obtained and conveyed. Briefly, this is accomplished by vertically slitting the cored and peeled pineapples into complementary halves and directing the halves on different paths while orienting them along their paths by means of ribs which receive their respective core recesses.

Another feature of the present invention involves the use of transverse conveyors which likewise have core recess receiving ribs straddled by parallel bar platforms which support the fruit halves by their cut faces. These platforms are illuminated from below for inspection of the entire fruit half. Of course, they can also be illuminated from above for the inspection of surface defects.

Another feature of the present invention lies in the relationship of the fruit handling system as described and a vertically oriented contour peeler. The fruit is pushed up through the rotary peeling head of the contour peeler and is thereafter transferred by a carriage past a butt end trimmer, the crown end of the fruit having been trimmed prior to peeling. After leaving the crown end trimmer the fruit is brought to rest above the vertical slicer and conveying system just described, whereupon a timed stripper starts the fruit on its path through the slicing knives and on to the complementary fruit half conveyors.

The manner in which these and other features and advantages of the present invention can be obtainable will be apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment that follows:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan of a two peeler system embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal plan perspective of the complementary half pineapple conveyors.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective of the conveyors including a transfer conveyor.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view as in FIG. 3 looking at the slitting or halving station.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section through the pineapple receiving post taken on line 66 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective at the halving station showing the post and the slitter halves.

FIG. 8 is a section through one of the primary conveyors showing a pusher conveyor.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side view of a secondary conveyor which is also like the transfer conveyor of FIG. 3.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective of one of the pineapple conveying ribs on a secondary conveyor.

FIG. 111 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 12B.

FIGS. 12A and 128, when put together, form a plan of a system embodying the invention like that of FIG. 1, but showing the conveying structure associated with only one peeling head.

FIG. 13 is a central longitudinal section taken on line 13- of FIG. 12B showing the secondary conveyor.

FIG. 14 is a view taken along line 14-l4 of FIG. 1213 showing the transfer conveyor.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 15- 15 of FIG. 12A at the chunker knives.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged diagrammatic view taken on line 16-16 of FIG. 12A showing the processing steps between the peeler and the primary conveyor.

FIGS. 17, 18 and 19 are operational views at the peeler head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In order to clearly point out and describe the invention, routine mechanical engineering details, design features, hydraulic and electrical controls and the like are not exhaustively illustrated and described.

These details in the present invention are largely problems of driving material handling conveyors or the like and operating actuating cylinders, all of which are within the skill of those experienced in the material handling and control arts.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM ovoid Referring principally to FIG. 1 and to FIGS. 12A and 12B which show the material handling structure at one peeling head, vthe fruit being processed are pineapples indicated at P. FIG. 1 shows a two pineapple peeling system, each with a pair of complementary pineapple half conveyors. Except for these physical layouts, the two systems are the same and a description of one applies to the other. The pineapples are pushed vertically up through rotary contour peeler heads 10 (see also FIG. 16), the details of these heads not being critical to the removal of the eyes of the fruit. The fruit emerges from the peeler heads vertically and is of an avoid contour thereby presenting a handling problem as described in the introductory remarks.

Each peeled fruit is impaled on a depending pin of a transfer carriage 12, which carries the fruit across horizontal butt end trimmers 14 (see also FIG. 16), wherein the lower end of the fruit is trimmed off. The peeled and trimmed fruit is transported over to the lead-in portions of primary fruit half conveyors l6 and 17, each of which has complimentary fruit half sections 16a, 16b, 17a and 17b. The fruit receiving ends of these primary conveyors are vertical (FIG. 3).

A stripper 18 (FIGS. 1 and 4) moves the fruit from the transfer carriage 12 and pushes it down over a slitter 20, comprising rotary halving knives 21. The fruit will have been cored before passing through the peeler and when the fruit is halved, the core recesses slide down over a core recess guide ribs 40 (FIG. 3) forming a feature of the invention and which will be described in more detail presently. These ribs guide the fruit continuously as it moves along the primary fruit conveyor halves 16a and 16b, etc.

The fruit from each of the primary conveyor sections is eventually transferred by pusher belts (to be described) to secondary conveyors 24, 25 (FIG. 1) each of which has sections 24a, 24b and 25a, 25b. The primary conveyor section 16b (for example) leads directly to the secondary conveyor section 24b, and similarly with the other primary conveyor section 17b, which leads to 25b. The secondary conveyors 24 and 25 are both double sided for receiving fruit halves. Referring to the secondary conveyor 24 and the primary conveyor 16, the fruit from the primary conveyor section 160 does not lead directly to the secondary conveyor section 240, rather it is transferred onto a transfer conveyor 26, which has a counterpart 27 on the other line, by a pusher belt. Pineapple halves are then transferred by a pusher from the transfer conveyor 26 to a feeder conveyor 28, which has a counterpart 29 on the other line. The feeder conveyors 28, 29 conduct lines of pineapples to the secondary conveyor sections 24a, 25a, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 1 and also in FIG. 12B. As the fruit passes along the two parallel reaches of the secondary conveyors 24, 25 it goes past a number of inspectors or trimmers who inspect the fruit from general illumination as well as from illumination lamps L beneath the secondary conveyors. The fruit halves are sliced by slicer knives S at the downstream ends of the secondary conveyors.

After having been sliced by the sliced rotary slicer knives S at the terminal ends of the secondary conveyors 24, 25 the sliced pineapple halves are transferred by pushers to chunker conveyors 30a, 30b and 31a, 31b for the secondary conveyor sections 24a, 24b and 25a, 25b, respectively. The chunker conveyors deliver the sliced pineapple halves to radial chunker knife assemblies 32 (see also FIG. which cuts them into chunks 35 (in the form of a pie-shaped sectors) that drop into discharge chutes 34, leading to chunker conveyors 36 for further processing or packing.

Having completed the general description of the flow of pineapples through the apparatus, significant details of the apparatus will now be described.

PRIMARY CONVEYOR AND SLITIER Henceforth only the primary conveyor line 16 and its associated equipment will be described, it being understood that the other line 17 and associated equipment is substantially identical, except for certain dimensions determined for factory layout. The primary conveyor 16 is a dual conveyor and comprises a pair of twisted slide conveyors or platforms 16a and 16b, which support the fruit halves. These platforms 16a and 16b are essentially the same, except for their length and except for the fact they have twists of opposite hand. Thus, the two fruit halves are eventually supported on their slit faces and are directed generally horizontally and in parallel lines.

The primary conveyor structure and associated slitting mechanism is best seen in FIGS. 2-7 and also in FIG. 12A. It is an important feature of the present invention that the sliced complementary fruit halves are directed on different paths while oriented on their paths by means of their respective core recesses. This is accomplished by the core recess receiving ribs 40 which run along the midplanes of their associated slide conveyor platforms, such as on the primary conveyor sections 16a and 16b, and other, similar conveyor section.

As seen in FIG. 7, in order to receive and locate the peeled pineapple during the time it is being slit into halves by the slitters of the rotary slitting knives 20, at the pineapple receiving end of the primary conveyor, the two ribs 40 merge into a core hole receiving post 42, which post is slitted at 44 for receiving the overlapping slitting knives.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, in order to insure that the descending pineapple halves hug the vertical portion of each primary conveyor, hanging restraining belts 46 are suspended at the slitters 20. These belts are omitted from the other views for clarity.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, which include a reference plane, the primary conveyor sections 16a and 16b start'out vertical, but as mentioned, they are both bent and twisted at 48 to produce generally horizontal parallel reaches 50. The conveyor sections can be thought of as being twisted in the vertical plane while being bent 90: from the vertical to the horizontal plane. Thus, pineapples delivered vertically from the peeling and transferring mechanism slide down the posts 42, are slit into complementary halves by knives 20, and are conveyed by force of gravity along the twists 48 and on to the horizontal reaches 50, all while being guided by the core recess ribs 40 on the primary conveyor sections 16a and 16b.

PRIMARY PUSHERS When the pineapples reach the horizontal reaches 50 it is necessary that they be positively conveyed along the primary conveyor sections 16a and 16b. This and the movement of pineapples along the feeder conveyor 28 (FIG. 12) is accomplished by primary pusher belts 51, 52 and 53 for the primary sections 16b, 16a and the feeder conveyor 28, respectively. These pusher conveyors are substantially the same except for their length, and a description of one will suffice for the others and like parts are given like reference numbers.

The recess ribs 40 in the vicinity of the pusher conveyors are slotted at 54 to receive pusher conveyors are slotted at 54 to receive pusher fingers and will now be described. Each of the pusher conveyors comprises and endless belt 56 trained over driving and driven pulleys 58, 60. As seen in FIG. 8, pusher fingers 62 project outwardly from the belt and through the rib slots 54 for engaging the rearward face of the pineapple halves, as can be seen in the drawings.

TRANSFER CONVEYOR The transfer conveyor 26 is interposed between the delivery end of the primary conveyor section 16a and the receiving end of the feeder conveyor 28 for delivering pineapples from section 16a to the section 24a of the secondary conveyor, as previously described (FIG. 12B). The transfer conveyor 26 is essentially like the one side of the secondary conveyor 24 and hence as to these conveyors, like parts have been given like reference numbers except that where they are somewhat dif ferent the letter a" has been afiixed to the reference character. References are made to FIGS. 3, 9, 10, 12B, 13 and 14.

The transfer conveyor 26 includes an endless chain 66 having driving and idler sprockets 68, 70 respectively. Near the two ends of the transfer conveyor (and also the secondary conveyor) are fruit half receiving and delivery sprockets 72, 74 (FIG. 14) which sprockets are in axial alignment with their associated conveyors, e.g., the conveyors 16a and 28 (FIG. 12B) in the case of the transfer conveyor 26, and the conveyors 16b and 28 in the case of the secondary conveyor 24.

Depending radially inwardly from the chain 66 are fruit rib support arms 76 (FIG. 9) from which project laterally fruit half orienting and conveying ribs 78 (FIG. 3). The ribs 78 receive the core recesses in the fruit. In order to slidingly support the fruit halves while being advanced by the ribs 78, bars 88 extend longitudinally along the conveyor (FIGS. 1,3, 12A and 12B).

As best seen in FIG. 10, the fruit ribs 780 (as well as the ribs 78 for the transfer conveyor 26) are transversely notched on their undersides at 82 to receive the bars 80. The ends of ribs 78, 780 are longitudinally notched at 84 for clearing the pusher conveyor pins 62 during transfer of fruit to the ribs 78, 780 (FIG. 11). The ribs 78a on the secondary conveyor 24 are also notched in their upper sides at 86 (FIG. 10) for receiving the knives of the slicer assembly S (FIGS. 11 and 12B).

As mentioned, in order to transfer fruit halves from the transfer conveyor 26 to the feeder conveyor 28 a pusher 90 is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 92 (FIG. 12B).

Also, as mentioned, in order to transfer fruit from the secondary conveyor sections 24a, 24b to the chunker conveyors 30a, 30b respectively pusher forks 94a, 94b (FIG. 12B) are actuated by hydraulic cylinders 96a, 96b (FIG. 12A).

The transfer and secondary conveyors 26, 24 are designed to provide a swell period when fruit is transferred to and from these conveyors. This action is illustrated in FIG. 9 where it can be seen that arms 76 depend from the chain 66a and support the conveyor ribs 78a on the center of a sprocket 72 (and the same applies to the other sprocket 74). The shafts of these sprockets are aligned with the ribs 40 of the associated conveyors (FIGS. 3 and 11), e.g., 16a and 28 in the case of the transfer conveyor 26. The rib supporting arms 76 have the same radius as the associated sprockets 72, 74 and this provides, as illustrated in FIG. 9 a dwell period wherein the halfround rib 78 merely rotates through an angle of about 45? as the associated section of the chain 66 or 664 passes around the sprocket. This dwell period provides time for the pusher conveyors, fingers 62, or the pusher fork 90 (FIG. 12B) to slide pineapple halves over the ribs or remove them from the ribs, respectively.

CHUNKER STRUCTURE In the embodiment of the invention shown, the pineapples after having been sliced by the slicer assembly S while on the secondary conveyor 24, are transferred to the chunker conveyors 30a, 30b and guided thereon by central ribs 40a, 40b in accordance with the principles previously described. The pineapples are sliced into sectors by the chunker knife assembly 32, which includes radial chunker knives 98 (FIG. 15) received in slots 108 formed in the ribs 40a, 40b adjacent the knives. The details of the chunker knife assembly are not critical to the present invention and suitable radial knife construction are shown in the patented art. In the construction shown, the knives 98 are rotatably supported on inwardly projecting brackets 102 which pivotally mount the knife hub shafts 104. The knives are all driven together, each one driving the succeeding one by means of double bevel gears 106, one of which is driven by a drive pinion 108 and a chunker motor 110.

Having completed a description of the slitting and conveying and chunking portions of the pineapple preparation system embodying the present invention, reference will now be made to the preferred means of brining the fruit from the peeler to the aforesaid conveying system.

PEELER TO CONVEYOR SYSTEM The peeler to conveying system is illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. 12A and 16-19. As mentioned, the pineapples are orbitally contour peeled by apparatus such as that shown in the De Back U.S. Pat, No. 3,382,900, the details of which are incorporated herein by reference. Design details of the orbital peeling heads are not critical to the handling apparatus of the present invention.

The basic transferring and handling mechanisms involved are shown in FIGS. 12A and 16 with additional details at the peeling head appearing in FIGS. 17, 18 and 19. The frame for the peeler is indicated generally at 112, no details are critical to the invention. The rotary peeler head 10 is supported on bearings 113 in the frame and is driven by a V-belt 114 and peeler motor 116. As described in the De Back patent, the pineapples are contour peeled in two steps with shell and juice cut peeling knives indicated schematically at 118 and 120. Beneath the peeling knives and the first to engage a pineapple as it is pushed up through the peeling head are slitters 122, which assist in preventing rotation of the pineapple as the peeler head rotates, carrying the knives with it.

The pineapple is loaded by means not shown on a vertical core hole pin 124, it being understood that the pineapple had previously been cored before loading into the peeler. The core hold pin projectsupwardly from a chuck member 126, which has small blades that. grip the but end of the pineapple and assist in preventing its rotation. The chuck is prevented in rotation by squared pusher shaft 128, which is lifted during the peeling operation by a hydraulically operated pusher to feed the pineapple upwardly through the rotating peeler head 10.

Above the peeler head, a horizontally shiftable peeled pineapple stripper fork 132 is mounted and where a multiple head arrangement is provided. The stripper fork is mounted on a transverse fork bar 133, which is reciprocated by hydraulic cylinder 134. Stripper fork 132 hold the peeled pineapple up when the core hole pin 124 is withdrawn (FIG. 19).

As mentioned, a carriage 12 transfers pineapples from the peeler heads to the conveyor assembly 16 pushing the fruit across the butt end trimmers 14 in the process. The carriage includes depending core hole receiving pins 138 which are urged downwardly by means such as a weight 140. The pins are slidably mounted in a transfer carriage pin bar 142 which is reciprocated in synchronism with other parts of the apparatus by a hydraulic cylinder 144. The carriage assembly has been broken away in FIG. 12A, but appears in FIG. 16 in side elevation.

In order to guide the peeled pineapple over the rotating peeler head on its way toward the conveyor system, a peeled pineapple receiving plate 146 is mounted between the peeling head and the butt end trimmer assembly 14. The butt end trimmer assembly includes a rotary disc knife 148 which turns across the downstream edge of the plate 146 for trimming the butt end of the pineapple as it moves across the disc (FIG. 16). The trimming knife 148 is driven by trimmer motor 150.

After being transported across the butt end trimming knife 148, the pineapple slides along a trimmed pineapple receiving plate 152 which is flush with a knife and is also flushed with a trimmed and peeled pineapple drop plate 154 which is movable across the upper end of the pineapple receiving post 42 of the conveyor system 16. The drop plate 154 is mounted for reciprocation on parallel links 156 and actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 157.

In order to eject the peeled pineapples from the transfer carriage post 138 and onto the primary conveyor post 42, the stripper assembly 18 is provided, as previously described. This assembly includes a stripper fork 158 which can be reciprocated vertically by a hydraulic cylinder 159.

The operation of the pineapple transfer mechanism just described will be explained at this point. Pineapples having the crown ends trimmed are placed upon the peeler pin 124 when the latter is in its lowered position (phantom). For example, the squared shaft 128 for the pineapple chuck 126 and pin 124 can be pivoted to a horizontal position by turning a trunnion block 129, thereby facilitating loading of a cored pineapple on the peeler pin 124.

As the pusher forces the pineapple upwardly between the shell and juicecut knives 118, 120, the pineapple is spirally peeled along its contour, as explained in the De Back patent.

When the pineapple is peeled it will be in its upper position showing (broken lines) in FIG. 16 whereupon the hydraulic cylinder 134 advances the fork 132 beneath the pineapples and around the chuck 126. This is shown in FIG. 18. The transfer carriage 12 will have been retracted so that its weighted pin 138 is lowered and in alignment with the peeler pin 124 during peeling. It will also be noted in FIG. 18 that the peeler pin 124 moves up into engagement with the lower end of the transfer carriage 138, and that the pin 124 slides the transfer pin 138 upward against the force of the weight 140.

The peeler pin 124 is next retracted, as seen in FIG. 19, so that the pineapple is stripped from the peeler pin 124 by the stripper fork 132. The weight 140 forces the transfer carriage pin 138 down into the core hole of the peeled pineapple as also seen in FIG. 19 so that the carriage can now transport the pineapple to the conveyor structure.

The carriage cylinder 144 is now actuated and advances the carriage 12 and pineapple pin 138 over the butt end trimmer knives and into the primary conveyor structure 16 as previously described, and as shown in FIG. 16.

At the primary conveyor structure 16 (FIG. 16), the drop plate 154 will have been advanced by its hycraulic cylinder 157 and the lower end of the pineapple slides onto the drop plate. The pineapple slides below the stripper fork 158, which will have been raised above the upper end of the pineapple by means of its actuating cylinder 159. When the carriage 12 stops with its weighted pin 138 aligned with the slitter post 42, the drop plate 154 is retracted by its actuating cylinder 157. The stripper cylinder 159 now moves the stripper fork 158 downwardly to its position shown in broken lines in FIG. 16. This forces the pineapple down across the rotating slitter knives 20, which rotate in a direction such as to continue moving the pineapple downwardly and onto the conveyor system 16, as previously described.

DRIVES AND TIMING The mechanical drives of the various units just described as well as the timing system for the hydraulic actuating cylinders are matters of a mechanical and engineering design, the details of which are not critical to the present invention, and hence are only disclosed herein in terms of their function. Suitable switch-controlled solenoid hydraulic valves and valve interlock mechanism for hydraulic circuits as well as pumps, regulators, etc. employed in these systems are contemplated, it being understood that any of the numerous conventional mechanical devices of this type could be employed within the skill of the art.

Referring to FIGS. 12A and 128 the mechanical elements of conveyor system are driven at any convenient point by an electric motor 160 having a drive shaft 161. Bevel gears operate a drive shaft 162 for the drive pulley 58 of the pusher conveyor 52. Drive shaft 162 drives, by means of bevel gears, shafts 164 and 166 for the drive pulley 58 of the pusher conveyor 51. Shaft 164 also drives, by bevel gears, a shaft 168 for the drive pulley 58 of the feeder conveyor 28.

The motor shaft 161 also drives the drive sprocket 68 for the transfer conveyor 26 and the longitudinal shaft 164 drives the sprocket 68 for the secondary conveyor 24. The drive is such that the pusher fingers 62 of the various pusher conveyors are synchronized with the ribs 78 on the transfer conveyor and with the ribs 78a on the secondary conveyor. Thus by the proper selection of gear ratios the mechanical synchronization of the conveyor parts is simply attained.

As seen in FIG. 1, the motor shaft 161 drives a power shaft 1660 for the conveyor system 17, 25, 27 and 29, which is a substantial duplicate of the drive system just described.

As mentioned, the hydraulic circuit details are shown only functionally herein, this being mere engineering design. In the embodiment of the invention shown the hydraulically actuated devices are controlled by a valve timer switch 170 (to the right of FIG. 12B and lower right of FIG. 16) which is opened and closed by one of the ribs 78 on the transfer conveyor. This is a mere convenience, since all the conveyor parts are mechanically interconnected and the switch 170 or its equivalent can be located and operated from any part of the mechanical drive system. The switch 170 operates a solenoid valve timer 172 which has electric connections to various solenoid operated valves that control the actuating cylinders.

For example, solenoid valves 174a, 174b (top of FIGS. 12A, 128) control the cylinders 96a and 96b for the chucker pusher forks, thereby insuring that these cylinders will only operate when unsliced pineapple halves are in front of the conveyor ribs a and 4017.

A solenoid timer valve 176 (top right of FIG. 16) is provided for the stripper cylinder 159 above the primary conveyor 16. This insures that the stripper fork 158 descends in synchronism with the motion of the pineapples through the conveyor system. An interlock 178 of conventional design is connected between the stripper timer valve 176 and a timer valve 180 for the drop plate 154. This insures that the drop plate 154 will have been retracted before the stripper fork 158 is moved downwardly to force pineapples onto the slitter knives 20.

At the peeler head, a peeled pineapple sensing switch 182 (lower left of FIG. 16) or its equivalent is provided for actuation by the chuck shaft 128 when it raises the pineapple to its completely peeled position. This switch, through an interlock 186, operates a timer valve 188 (upper left of FIG. 16) for the carriage cylinder 14-4. The timer valve 188 for the carriage cylinder 144 also connects to the conveyor valve timer 172, as shown diagrammatically at the lower right of FIG. 16. Thus, the transfer carriage 12 is operated in step with the conveyor system, but cannot be advanced until the pineapple on the transfer carriage pin 138 is fully peeled and is in its uppermost position.

The hydraulic cylinder 134 for the stripping fork 132 at the peeler (middle left of FIG. 16) is timed with the timer valve 188 and cylinder 144 for the transfer carriage 12, and with the pineapple sensing switch 182. This is accomplished through the interlock 186, and a timer valve 184 for the stripper fork cylinder 134. The timing is such that when the peeled pineaplines in FIG. 16), the cylinder 134 is actuated to advance the stripper fork 132 to its position beneath the pineapple which position is shown in FIG. 18. The fork 132 at the peeler will not be withdrawn until the pineapple has been removed by the transfer carriage 12 and the peeling head chuck 126 lowered for another cycle.

OPERATION Operation of the device will now be briefly summarized although the operation of its individual components has been explained in detail. The pineapples will have been cored and their crown ends will have been trimmed. The peeler pin 124 will have been rotated to its horizontal position about its trunnion block 129 for receiving the unpeeled but cored pineapple. The pin is then restored to its vertical position as shown in FIG. 16, and the cylinder (not shown) for the pusher advances the squared shaft 128, chuck 126, pin 124 and hence the pineapple upwardly through the peeler head 10.

The peeled pineapple (FIG. 16) when it reaches its upper position is above the peeler head 10 and the controls just mentioned caused the stripper 132 to advance beneath the peeled pineapple. The transfer carriage will be in retracted position of FIG. 16 and the peeled pineapple is forced up onto the transfer carriage pin 138.

The transfer carriage 12 now advances the pin 138 across the supporting plate 146 and then acres the butt end trimmer l4, and the plate 152, stopping above the primary conveyor post 42 (right of FIG. 16). The stripper fork 158 will be in its uppermost position and the drop plate 154 will have been advanced over the primary conveyor structure 16.

The transfer carriage 12 pauses at the conveyor 16 and the stripper fork 158 is moved down by its actuating cylinder 159, pushing the pineapple down over the post 42, through the slitter knives 20, and onto the conveyor 16. The transfer carriage is now retracted by limit and timer switch structure, not shown.

As the pineapple is forced down over the slitter knives 20, the knives cut the pineapple in half. The knives rotate in such a direction as to urge the pineapples down through the knives and onto the vertical sections (FIGS. 2 and 3) of the primary conveyor 16. The complementary halves of the pineapple are restrained by the hanging belts 46 (FIG. 2) and slide down and around the twisted portions 48 of the conveyor and onto the horizontal reaches 50, being guided by the core recess receiving ribs 40 throughout their passage along the conveyor sections 16a and 16b.

The pusher conveyors 51 and 52, being timed with the fork 158 of the stripper 18, pick up the complementary pineapple halves by means of their fingers 62 and advance the pineapple halves toward the conveyors at the ends of the primary conveyor sections 16a and 1612. Primary conveyor section 16a leads to the transfer conveyor 26 (right of FIG. 128) which is driven in synchronism with the pusher conveyor 52, receives pineapple halves from the section 16a, and carries them over to the feederconveyor 28. The pineapple halves are guided by their core recesses onto the ribs 78 of the transfer conveyor 26. A pusher fork 90, which is synchronized with the conveyors, pushes pineapple halves off their ribs 78 of the transfer conveyor 26 and onto the feeder conveyor 28, which as a rib 40 that continues to guide the pineapples by their core recesses.

Pineapples on the primary conveyor section 16b reach the secondary conveyor 24 direct, and pineapples from the other section have now reached the secondary conveyor 24 by means of the feeder conveyor 28. The belt pusher conveyors El and 53 transfer pineapple halves to the secondary conveyor ribs 780 which transport and orient the pineapples as they are supported on the secondary conveyor bars 80. The pineapple halves pass the inspectors and are illuminated from above (not shown) as well as from below by lamps L. The inspectors can inspect the pineapples for defects without removing them from the conveyors. If the pineapples need to be trimmed or rejected the trimming of rejected pineapples are thrown into reject chutes R. The inspected and/or trimmed pineapple halves pass beneath the rotary slicer knives S (top of FIG. 12B) and the sliced pineapples are transferred by the chucker pusher forks 94a and 94b onto chucker conveyors 30a and 30b. As previously mentioned, the dwell action of the transfer conveyor pulleys 72 and 74 and of the secondary conveyor pulleys 72 and 74 makes transfer to and from these conveyors possible. At the chunker conveyors, the chunker assemblies 32 (top of FIGS. 12A and 12B) radially slice pineapples into sectors which are deposited by means of chutes 34 on the takeaway conveyors 36.

Thus, throughout the entire process, pineapples are continuously directed and their halves are guided by means of their core recesses, ribs 40. The halves are firmly supported on their cut faces for slicing and chunking. The halves can be inspected without removal from the conveyor system and need only be removed in case reject or trimming is essential.

Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been herein shown and described, it will be apparent that modification and variation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be the subject matter of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for processing cored fruit halves comprising primary fruit conveyor means having generally horizontal fruit core recess guide rib means with fruit half supporting platforms flanking said guide rib means; secondary conveyor means traversing the fruit delivery end of said primary conveyor means and having laterally projecting core recess receiving rib means, and fruit half support means under said said primary to said secondary rib means; and means for slicing fruit halves on said secondary conveyor means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said secondary rib means are slotted for accommodating slicing knives.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein radial chunker knives are provided at the delivery end of said secondary conveyor means, and a pusher transfers sliced fruit to said chunker knives.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said secondary conveyor means comprises a continuously running endless tension member trained around pulleys, one of which is axially aligned with the end of said primary conveyor rib means, said secondary conveyor rib means being supported on said tension member in alignment with the end of said primary rib means and with said one pulley axis, for providing a fruit half receiving dwell period.

5. The apparatus of claim ll, wherein said secondary conveyor means includes parallel, longitudinal bars flanking said secondary rib means, for illumination of the fruit halves from below for inspection purposes.

6. In a system for processing pineapples of the type wherein the fruit is cored and peeled by moving it up through a peeling head; downstream processing equipment comprising a fruit transfer carriage having depending pin means for receiving the core hole of the peeled fruit, a lower end trimmer intermediate the path of said carriage, vertical fruit halving knife means below the end of the carriage path, a stripper for forcing the fruit from said carriage pins down across said knife means, and gravity conveyor means for receiving the resulting fruit halves.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said gravity conveyor means gradually twists toward the horizontal, and includes core recess guiding rib means; over which the fruit halves slide.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein individual core recess receiving ribs project laterally from a secondary conveyor and run across the end of said core recess guiding rib means, means for transferring fruit halves to said secondary conveyor rib means, and a fruit half slicer in the path of said secondary conveyor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein longitudinal bars support the fruit halves while they are on said secondary conveyor ribs, for illumination and inspection purposes.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said secondary conveyor ribs run past the fruit receiving end of a chunker conveyor, radial chunker knives above said chunker conveyor, and means for pushing fruit halves from said secondary ribs onto said chunker conveyor.

11. The method of processing fruit such as pineapples or the like comprising the steps of axially coring and peeling the fruit, axially halving the fruit, directing the halves on an inspection path while orienting them on their path by means of their respective core recesses, picking up the fruit from said inspection path by guide rib means moving transversely of the path, and further segmenting the transversely moving fruit halves while guiding them by means of their core recesses.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fruit halves are initially oriented on their inspection path by sliding their core recesses axially along stationary guides.

13. The processes of claim 11, wherein the fruit is halved vertically, and the respective halves are gradually guided into generally horizontal inspection paths, with their core recesses down.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein the fruit is cored and peeled vertically and is thereafter transferred vertically to the vertical halving station.

15. The process of claim 14, whereby the lower ends of the fruit are trimmed during transfer.

16. Apparatus for processing cored fruit comprising a slotted vertical post for receiving the fruit core hole, knife means projecting into said port slot for axially halving the fruit, fruit supporting means including elongate vertical core secondary rib means; means for transferring fruit halves from recess guide ribs forming continuations of said post for receiving the fruit from said knife means, and means for sliding the fruit halves along their respective guide ribs to a slicing statlon.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said fruit supporting means includes elongate platforms flanking each guide rib.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said platforms gradually twist from their initial generally vertical orientation at said fruit halving means to a generally horizontal orienta tion for downstream processing.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the generally horizontally oriented guide ribs are slotted, and fruit pusher fingers are advanced through the rib slots.

20. In a method of processing fruit wherein the fruit is cored full length along its axis and halved, and wherein the fruit halves are individually slid along initially parallel but diverging planar guide surfaces for further processing; the improvement comprising the steps of guiding the cored fruit by its core hole while axially halving the fruit, continuing to advance the complementary fruit halves thus produced along said initially parallel guide surfaces while orienting the halves on said paths by sliding their respective core recesses along stationary riblike guides, gradually twisting the divergent planar guide surfaces until they form generally horizontal guide surfaces while continuing to orient the fruit halves by their core recesses, and processing the individual fruit halves after they are disposed with their cut faces down.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the fruit halves are advanced by pushing on their trailing ends.

22. Apparatus for processing pineapples comprising means for coring, peeling and axially halving the fruit to provide fruit halves having an open full length core recess flanked by coplanar surfaces; means forming laterally spaced, co-planar surfaces for supporting each halved fruit by its co-planar surface, an elongate, stationary guide n'b extending along between said laterally spaced support surface means and projecting into the fruit half core recesses for providing the sole lateral guide for the fruit halves, and means for axially advancing the fruit halves thus supported and guided past a processing station, said guide rib being slotted, and said fruit half advancing means comprising conveyor pin means projecting through the slot in said guide rib.

#04050 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (5/69) CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTEON Patent No- 3'656'529 Dated April 18, 1972 Invento1-( LESLIE IVAD'AS 1 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 2, line 43, after the dash insert l3 Col. 2, line 65, delete "ovoid". Col. 3, line 8, change "avoid" to ovoid Col. 7, line 26, change "hycraulic" to hydraulic Item [73] Assignee correct to w Ell? n ent to Castle & Cook, Inc. a

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of October 1972.

(SEAL) Atte'st:

EDWARD M.FLE"I'CHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. Apparatus for processing cored fruit halves comprising primary fruit conveyor means having generally horizontal fruit core recess guide rib means with fruit half supporting platforms flanking said guide rib means; secondary conveyor means traversing the fruit delivery end of said primary conveyor means and having laterally projecting core recess receiving rib means, and fruit half support means under said secondary rib means; means for transferring fruit halves from said primary to said secondary rib means; and means for slicing fruit halves on said secondary conveyor means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said secondary rib means are slotted for accommodating slicing knives.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein radial chunker knives are provided at the delivery end of said secondary conveyor means, and a pusher transfers sliced fruit to said chunker knives.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said secondary conveyor means comprises a continuously running endless tension member trained around pulleys, one of which is axially aligned with the end of said primary conveyor rib means, said secondary conveyor rib means being supported on said tension member in alignment with the end of said primary rib means and with said one pulley axis, for providing a fruit half receiving dwell period.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said secondary conveyor means includes parallel, longitudinal bars flanking said secondary rib means, for illumination of the fruit halves from below for inspection purposes.
 6. In a system for processing pineapples of the type wherein the fruit is cored and peeled by moving it up through a peeling head; downstream processing equipment comprising a fruit transfer carriage having depending pin means for receiving the core hole of the peeled fruit, a lower end trimmer intermediate the path of said carriage, vertical fruit halving knife means below the end of the carriage path, a stripper for forcing the fruit from said carriage pins down across said knife means, and gravity conveyor means for receiving the resulting fruit halves.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein said gravity conveyor means gradually twists toward the horizontal, and includes core recess guiding rib means; over which the fruit halves slide.
 8. The system oF claim 7, wherein individual core recess receiving ribs project laterally from a secondary conveyor and run across the end of said core recess guiding rib means, means for transferring fruit halves to said secondary conveyor rib means, and a fruit half slicer in the path of said secondary conveyor.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein longitudinal bars support the fruit halves while they are on said secondary conveyor ribs, for illumination and inspection purposes.
 10. The system of claim 8, wherein said secondary conveyor ribs run past the fruit receiving end of a chunker conveyor, radial chunker knives above said chunker conveyor, and means for pushing fruit halves from said secondary ribs onto said chunker conveyor.
 11. The method of processing fruit such as pineapples or the like comprising the steps of axially coring and peeling the fruit, axially halving the fruit, directing the halves on an inspection path while orienting them on their path by means of their respective core recesses, picking up the fruit from said inspection path by guide rib means moving transversely of the path, and further segmenting the transversely moving fruit halves while guiding them by means of their core recesses.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fruit halves are initially oriented on their inspection path by sliding their core recesses axially along stationary guides.
 13. The processes of claim 11, wherein the fruit is halved vertically, and the respective halves are gradually guided into generally horizontal inspection paths, with their core recesses down.
 14. The process of claim 13, wherein the fruit is cored and peeled vertically and is thereafter transferred vertically to the vertical halving station.
 15. The process of claim 14, whereby the lower ends of the fruit are trimmed during transfer.
 16. Apparatus for processing cored fruit comprising a slotted vertical post for receiving the fruit core hole, knife means projecting into said port slot for axially halving the fruit, fruit supporting means including elongate vertical core recess guide ribs forming continuations of said post for receiving the fruit from said knife means, and means for sliding the fruit halves along their respective guide ribs to a slicing station.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said fruit supporting means includes elongate platforms flanking each guide rib.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said platforms gradually twist from their initial generally vertical orientation at said fruit halving means to a generally horizontal orientation for downstream processing.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the generally horizontally oriented guide ribs are slotted, and fruit pusher fingers are advanced through the rib slots.
 20. In a method of processing fruit wherein the fruit is cored full length along its axis and halved, and wherein the fruit halves are individually slid along initially parallel but diverging planar guide surfaces for further processing; the improvement comprising the steps of guiding the cored fruit by its core hole while axially halving the fruit, continuing to advance the complementary fruit halves thus produced along said initially parallel guide surfaces while orienting the halves on said paths by sliding their respective core recesses along stationary rib-like guides, gradually twisting the divergent planar guide surfaces until they form generally horizontal guide surfaces while continuing to orient the fruit halves by their core recesses, and processing the individual fruit halves after they are disposed with their cut faces down.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the fruit halves are advanced by pushing on their trailing ends.
 22. Apparatus for processing pineapples comprising means for coring, peeling and axially halving the fruit to provide fruit halves having an open full length core recess flanked by co-planar surfaces; means forming laterally spaced, co-planar surfaces for supporting each halved fruit by its co-planar surface, an elongate, stationary guide rib extending along between said laterally spaced support surface means and projecting into the fruit half core recesses for providing the sole lateral guide for the fruit halves, and means for axially advancing the fruit halves thus supported and guided past a processing station, said guide rib being slotted, and said fruit half advancing means comprising conveyor pin means projecting through the slot in said guide rib. 